How To Clean Underground Gutter Drains

Why Underground Drains?

Properly draining the water that comes off your roof and into your downspouts is an important thing to get right.

Because of this need there are and have been many options to drain the water into or away from your property. One of the most common is with underground black pipes or drains that run either on the top of the ground or underneath the ground.

Here we share the things about cleaning these drains if they ever get clogged.

This article was resourced by a Gutter Cleaning Company in Buford GA

THANK YOU TO THE FOLKS AT

Guru Gutter Cleaning Buford
(470) 280-1001
https://www.guttercleaningbuford.com

There are two main reasons why underground gutter drains get clogged. Both are preventable.

#1: You don’t have any gutter protection (AKA Downspout filters) so when the leafs and debris go into your gutters it ends up going down your downspouts and into your underground drains.

When this happens it often doesn’t end up leaving the underground drain. As more and more debris does this it clogs up your underground drain.

#2: Your underground drain is made of corrugated black plastic pipe that either has holes in it, cracks, or will crack in the future. When this happens roots can start to enter the pipe and grow thick inside of it.

If you have roots in your underground gutter drain pipes, then it is going to be pretty hard to clear them. In fact, almost impossible.

BUT in order to clear them it will often destroy the pipe.

There are a couple options but non of them are guaranteed. Some can be done by a homeowner with basic supplies.

#1. HGet a strong garden hose that is long enough and stiff enough to jam down the pipe. When you do this make sure the hose is turned on. This can help break debris up in the drain. If you want, you can get a high pressure nozzle on the end to help (DIY version of a pipe water jetter)

#2: Use your hand and arm and reach down as and pull debris out. Honestly, this is often what is needed because a lot of times the debris is just at the top.

#3: Use a stick or rod to break debris apart.

#4: Buy a plumbers auger and try that

#5: Use a vacuum on one end and seal it trying to suck it out (A shop vac would be the recommendation

#6: Call a plumber, water jetter or gutter cleaning company to use professional tools. NOTE: None of these guys can guarantee it will unclogg and most of them will use tools that can ruin a corrugated plastic pipe.

Black corrugated pipe isn’t that strong. A lot of the methods to clear drains are too strong for this landscape piping.

We recommend using hard and thick pvc pipe for underground drains because it will last longer and allow your to get them clear if they get clogged.